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SD 2146

Resolve to establish a commission to study expanding sentencing jurisdiction in Houses of Correction

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Julian Cyr and 4 co-sponsors

Proposes creating a commission to study expanding Houses of Correction housing from 2.5 to 10-year sentences and assess feasibility, impacts, and benefits.

House concurred
0
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Bill Summary · SD 2146

Summary: Senate Docket No. 2146 – Resolve to establish a commission to study expanding sentencing jurisdiction in Houses of Correction

Overview

This is a Massachusetts joint resolution that would establish a special commission to study whether the sentencing jurisdiction of the Commonwealth’s Houses of Correction should be expanded. At present, statutes authorize housing inmates sentenced to up to two and one-half years in the Houses of Correction under county sheriffs. The bill proposes expanding this limit to allow housing inmates with sentences up to ten years, and it directs an in-depth study of feasibility, impacts, and potential benefits.

Purpose

  • Assess the feasibility, impacts, and potential benefits of expanding sheriff-operated housing in the Houses of Correction to include inmates with sentences up to ten years.
  • Consider operational, fiscal, and public-safety implications, along with rehabilitation, family connections, and community-based programming for longer-term inmates.

Key Provisions

  • Establishment of a Commission: Creates a special commission to study the expansion of statutory sentencing guidelines to allow sheriffs to house inmates sentenced to up to ten years in the Houses of Correction.
  • Composition: The commission includes:
    • 1 House of Representatives member (co-chair) and 1 House member from the House minority party
    • 1 Senate member (co-chair) and 1 Senate member from the Senate minority party
    • Secretary of Public Safety and Security (or designee)
    • Commissioner of the Department of Correction (or designee)
    • 3 sheriffs (appointed by the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association)
    • 1 member from the Committee for Public Counsel Services (appointed by the Governor)
    • 1 member from the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (appointed by the Governor)
    • 2 judiciary members (appointed by the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court)
    • 2 District Attorneys (appointed by the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association)
    • 2 members of the public with sentencing policy expertise (appointed by the Attorney General)
  • Duties of the Commission: (a) review current statutes and guidelines, (b) assess fiscal, operational, and public-safety impacts, (c) evaluate benefits of enhanced local rehabilitation services and community programs, (d) solicit input from stakeholders (including victims’ advocates, legal professionals, correctional staff, community organizations), (e) study best practices from other states, and (f) consider the existing step-down system from the Department of Corrections to the Houses of Correction.
  • Report and Recommendations: The commission must file a report with findings and recommendations, including proposed legislative or regulatory changes, to the Clerk of the House, the Clerk of the Senate, and the Governor within one year from the date of the commission’s first meeting.
  • Funding: Funded through existing appropriations to the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, with additional funding possible via the state budget.
  • Effective Date: Takes effect immediately upon passage.

Timeline & Procedural Status

  • Introduced / Filed: January 17, 2025 (Senate Docket; petition filed by Senator Fernandes and colleagues)
  • Committee Action: Referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security (February 27, 2025)
  • Legislative Action: House concurred (as of the report)
  • Reporting Deadline: 1 year from the commission’s first meeting to file its report
  • Effective Date: Immediate upon passage

Potential Impact

  • If enacted, the bill would enable an expansion of inmate housing from up to 2.5 years to up to 10 years within the Houses of Correction, altering custody arrangements currently overseen by county sheriffs.
  • Could affect the workflow and capacity of Houses of Correction, the Department of Correction’s step-down processes, and the allocation of rehabilitative and community-based programs for longer-sentence inmates.
  • The commission’s work would inform potential legislative or regulatory changes, including funding needs and policy guidance on sentencing, rehabilitation, and public safety considerations.

Stakeholders

  • Lawmakers from both chambers (majority and minority)
  • Public Safety and Security agencies (Secretary, DOC)
  • County sheriffs
  • Public counsel and defense bar associations
  • Judiciary (SJC and lower courts)
  • District Attorneys
  • Victims’ advocates and community organizations
  • The Attorney General (expertise in sentencing policy)

This bill serves as a deliberative step to evaluate a substantial policy shift in how longer-term sentences could be managed within local correctional facilities, with a structured, multi-stakeholder review and a formal reporting timeline.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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